my november rewind and news stories you should read this month
tried to reduce my screen time this month, kind of succeeded!
Hello, dearest Tamia Talkers, Happy Monday and Happy December!
I cannot believe we’ve made it to the final month of the year. In exactly 29 days, this Substack will be one year old, and I feel honored to have been welcomed into your inbox (almost) every week to share my thoughts, reflections, and rewinds.
This month’s rewind is pretty light since I spent most of my time holding space for the lyrics of “Defying Gravity,” rewatching the masterpiece that is the “Wicked” film, and reading the 1995 Gregory McGuire novel, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West.
The rest of the month brought a handful of enjoyable reads, watches, and listens that I squeezed into my schedule between long walks and hours of crocheting. I am eager to share them with you.
Let’s rewind!
in the news
For Black Women, ‘America Has Revealed to Us Her True Self’: For decades, Black women have been viewed as the saviors and most loyal voting bloc for the Democratic Party. However, in the fallout of a failed presidential campaign for Vice President Kamala Harris, many have stepped back to reevaluate their role in the “fight for democracy.” In this New York Times story, reporters Maya King and Erica L. Green spoke to Black women who organized and voted for Harris to discuss how racism and sexism informed the 2024 presidential race and continue to ask the question “Will America ever be ready for a Black woman president?” Read here.
Cities Say They Store Property Taken From Homeless Encampments. People Rarely Get Their Things Back: This November 2024 ProPublica investigation offers a glimpse at the aftermath of homeless encampment closures as unhoused people seek to retrieve their belongings from law enforcement agencies. Since a June Supreme Court decision granted cities the ability to penalize individuals for sleeping on the street, cities have developed new storage facilities for people to collect their personal belongings from encampments. However, reporters Nicole Santa Cruz, Asia Fields, and Ruth Talbot found that, due to a variety of roadblocks, many unhoused people are rarely able to find their things. Read here.
How Wicked’s Ethan Slater Made It to Oz and Back: Before singing his way into the spotlight in Broadway’s “Spongebob Squarepants” musical or gliding onto the screen as Boq in the 2024 “Wicked” film adaptation, Ethan Slater was cast as Toto in a youth theatre production of The Wizard of Oz. The thrill of the experience, he says, hooked him to the magic of live theatre and performance and, it seems, foreshadowed the project that would launch his acting career into a new stratosphere. Eileen Cartter’s GQ profile of Slater delves into his journey to Broadway and the unexpected challenges of his newfound stardom. It’s incredibly well-written and a super fascinating read, more here.
South Milwaukee-born artist lost everything in Tropical Storm Helene. Neighbors rallied around her.: Nearly 30 years ago, 74-year-old Lois Simbach bought her building on Main Street in Marshall, North Carolina with plans to develop the condemned building into a home and an art studio. The landmark became well known for its community fashion shows and events aimed at sustaining and uplifting the Marshall’s arts community. But, in September 2024, 27-foot flood waters washed over the town, destroying the building and leaving Simbach with only piles of debris and rubble in its place. In this story, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter Bridget Fogarty visits Simbach’s town nearly two months after the tragedy for a community event where residents celebrated Simbach in the only way they knew how: an art showcase that “rhymes with passion.” Read here.
on my screen
My Lady Jane (2024): When a friend and I decided to have a girls’ day earlier in early November, we both were feeling incredibly drained, emotionally overwhelmed, and in desperate need of a comforting story to push us through our days. “My Lady Jane” answered the call. We had already watched this show about two months ago, but the story of a lady queen and her, spoiler alert, part-time horse boyfriend kept calling us back for another watch. I crocheted a scarf that I later turned into a bag during this watch and the experience of creation filled me with immense joy. I am fairly certain we’ll run it back and do the same thing in January.
Girlfriends, Season 1 (2000): I needed this. Tracee Ellis Ross, give me your closet.
Glee, Season 5 (2013): This has been so painful to watch, but I persist.
Wicked (2024): I’ve seen Wicked three times and I still don’t think I have the words to encapsulate how much I enjoyed this film. I was going to write a whole post about it last week but then ended up writing a “Wicked” story for work (more on this to come). I have been playing the soundtrack on repeat for days. I sobbed, smiled, and shook my head in disappointment (at Glinda, duh). Maybe when I see it a fourth time, and I will allow my most thoughtful words about the plot and my viewing experience to flow onto this lovely platform for your reading pleasure.
The Sex Lives of College Girls, Season 3: Renee, please don’t go, I beg.
in my ears
November was a month heavy on music and light on podcasts. I’m just gonna pop the playlist in this roundup to honor all of the songs that didn’t make this abbreviated list that kept me moving through this month. There are tranquil bops and speaker shakers in the mix. I’ve never been one to curate a vibe!
music
2 Hands, Tate McRae (2024): Every time I watch a Tate McRae music video, I want to become a dancer. She is legend. This song also reminds me of “Slide” by Calvin Harris, Frank Ocean and Migos in that it is highly addictive to listen to and “I want your two hands, don’t ever let me go” and “Empty my bank account, and buy that boy with a pipe” have the same energy. Tell me if you understand.
Be My Lover, La Bouche (1992)
Pop the Glock, Uffie (2003): I watched Charli XCX’s Track Star* interview and she mentioned “Pop the Glock.” It reignited a lost love and passion for this song that has fueled and energized me through November.
On & On, Flo (2024): This is the perfect song, no notes. Also, it’s a part of the perfect album, listen if you haven’t.
After the First Kiss, Faye Webster (2024)
I Get It Now, Sammy Rae & The Friends (2024): I adore this song. It makes me feel like a character in a rom-com who just had a huge fight with my love interest and then I go for a long tearful walk where I reminisce about all of the beautiful times that we had, and somehow we end up sprinting back to each other, perhaps in an airport (actually no, nothing about airports are romantic to me) but somewhere and we profess our love. The man could also totally be Jonathan Bailey, but if not that’s super cool and fine.
Bareback On The Motherfucking Plains, googly eyes (2024)
Blink Twice, Cecile Believe (2024)
Jumping the Gun, Hope Tala (2024): Hope Tala! Thank goodness!
Meet Cute, Matilda Mann (2024)
WHATCHU KNO ABOUT ME, Glorilla and Sexyy Red (2024): I wake up in the morning and press play on this one. Glorilla’s entire album is perfection and makes me feel like I can take on the world even when it’s 14 degrees outside.
Sugar High, BELARO (2024)
Even (with Cat Burns), Rachel Chinouriri (2024): A collab that I didn’t even know I was waiting for but am so glad to have!
You Belong To Me, Patsy Cline and The Jordanaires (1962)
on my shelf
The Overstory, Richard Powers: The Overstory by Richard Powers follows nine people whose lives are, to say the least, profoundly impacted by trees. The novel examines how freely humans are able and willing to pillage and destroy our environment without thoughtful examination of the consequences. Additionally, the plot explores the barriers that emerge when people take action to protect the planet. A friend of mine described this book as The Lorax for adults, and while I think that slightly diminishes its depth and beauty, I can say that it’s a mildly fair assessment. I found my way through it looking at the world around me with much more gratitude and care. This was a brilliant, riveting book full of so many heart-pang moments. I truly loved every second.
Wicked, Gregory McGuire: I’m nearly done with this one and I’ve found it to be so compelling, yet wildly different from the tale of Wicked I grew up knowing. The story is rich with political allegories and allusions to classism and social division. Though this book has been in my possession for over a decade, I never realized how much this adaptation is not for the kids!
Lovely One, Ketanji Brown Jackson: I’ve just started reading this memoir. More updates to come!
Tis’ all from me. In December, I look forward to consuming…
The Sabrina Carpenter Nonsense Christmas Special
A Broadway show
All About Love, bell hooks
The rest of Glee, against my own will <3